


Little Wonders

by wherethequeerheroesat



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Domestic Avengers, Domestic Fluff, Everyone Loves Peter Parker, Gen, Kid Peter Parker, Meet the Family, Parent Tony Stark, Precious Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-06 13:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20292130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wherethequeerheroesat/pseuds/wherethequeerheroesat
Summary: A "Meet the Robinsons" AU where kid Peter Parker travels to the future and discovers his dysfunctional Avengers family, falls in love with them, and wonders why he can't just stay with them forever (spoiler alert: because he already belongs with them, he just doesn't know it yet).Will feature a t-rex, singing spiders & Tony as a kooky grandpa because why not





	Little Wonders

When Peter Parker's 10, the most exciting thing that happens to him is winning a place at the Stark Expo's youth science fair. Both him and his best friend Ned had been raving about their school's competition for weeks - Ned had entered a computer program he coded and designed that could serve as a virtual medical assistant doing outpatient care for children and the elderly. Peter had spent frazzled weeks trying to narrow down his interests and had finally chosen to develop a synthetic fiber not unlike spider silk. He was honestly surprised his project had netted him first place but Ned had assured him it was well-deserved so Peter tried not to fret too much about it. Besides, even if the spider silk was still not market-ready, he'd created a whole poster board to go along with his booth that would sell potential visitors on the various applications he envisioned - most notably in medical fieldwork where on-the-ground resources are scarce.

Not that he really expects anyone to stop by. The Stark Expo is the biggest annual event in New York! Tony Stark himself would be there to reveal Stark Industries' next big push, along with pretty much every other major science and tech company in the world. Peter's thankful they started a youth division a few years ago (_who is he kidding, he's more than thankful, he's been dreaming about this very moment for years_) but he also tries to be realistic about it. If he had paid hundreds of dollars for a ticket, he'd hardly think to visit the kids' corner either.

That doesn't stop him from tossing restlessly the whole night before, though. He counts through his materials over and over again. Poster boards, check. Test tubes filled with the different stages of spider silk fabrication, check. The final product that he'd stuffed into a spray can for optimum demonstration, check. He even reads through every single copy of his research statement and triple-checks his sources, just in case. He can't screw up his once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Before long, it's 4am and Peter is no closer to sleep. Giving up, he tiptoes downstairs to the main lobby where he carefully logs onto the common computer. He doesn't think Ms. Karen would mind if she catches him up so late at night - she'd spent the past month indulging his nonstop chatter about the Expo after all. But figuring that he'd still rather not risk it, he puts his sneaky skills to use and creeps around near silently, clicking through web article after web article about the Expo. For the next 3 days, courtesy of his Presenter pass (_his Presenter pass!_), he would be allowed access anywhere on the grounds. That's almost too many options! Peter immediately blocks off the events he can't go to because he has to be at his own booth, but that still leaves him with close to 2 full days of wandering around. Should he stick close to the main stage where _the_ Tony Stark himself was bound to show up unscheduled? Or should he head over to the biochemistry section, which is more his forte? Wow, but there would be a whole experimental lab playground for trying out pilot SI R&D projects on the south side!

By the time the sun begins to rise at 6am, Peter already has a handwritten itinerary for his Expo experience and all his materials at the ready. Waving a quick goodbye to Ms. Karen, who'd woken up to wish him luck and make him an early breakfast (a boiled egg and tomato slice, but Peter's still so happy because he'd be having Expo food all weekend!), he wheels his push cart out the orphanage and makes the trek into Manhattan.

The sight that greets him when he first steps foot on the Expo compound blows his breath away. Scientists - real, actual scientists - are chattering animatedly as they set up their various booths, all fast-talking with coffees in hand. Peter is amazed at the scale. There are several cranes on the premises and people wearing SI gear directing them. Some of them are even accompanied by robots that beep and do basic manual tasks like move boxes around. Peter soaks everything in, trying to keep his jaw from falling to the ground. This is the best day of his life!

Spotting a visitor kiosk, he snatches a brochure and unfolds the map. The next 2 hours are spent making quick work of his booth setup on the east side. Most of the other kids presenting arrive with their parents, all proud smiles and grinning faces. Peter tries not to let it dampen his mood too much. He knows his parents would be proud of him if they were here. He owes it all to them. Two of Oscorp's best research scientists who gave him his first circuit board to take apart, who guided him through solving his first chemical equation, who loved him and supported him every waking moment they had. Peter misses them like crazy every day, but he tries to quell those feelings now and bring his excitement level back up. He knows they'd be excited if they were here to see him.

The rest of the morning passes by in a blur. Not too many people stop by their section, as he had predicted, but Peter busies himself with reading all the research publications he'd managed to collect on his way to the east side. He's been keeping a running list of questions to ask all the interesting booth presenters. Most of all, he has to make sure he's ready to extract as much knowledge as he can from Tony Stark's presentation tomorrow.

Finally, 1pm and their lunch break rolls around. Peter digs around in the Presenter bag he was given at check-in and unwraps the Stark-issued ear plugs he finds. Once they're securely in his ears, he takes his notebook and lunch coupon over to the Presenter area. It's crazy crowded in there and Peter feels over-stimulated all at once. Conversations are happening all around him. The smell of Bolognese and pizza and _is that sushi?_ envelopes him wholly and he's left reeling. If the fact that he's at the freaking Stark Expo hadn't hit him before, it definitely does now because _there's Dr. Connors from Oscorp!_ And there's Professor Warren, only the most renowned biology professor at ESU, whose every lecture up on YouTube Peter can nearly recite word for word! And - holy meatball sticks, is that Dr. Bruce Banner?!

He gets in line behind a group of boisterous teenagers, recognizing the Midtown High symbol on their sweaters. He has to be the youngest person here. Where did all the other middle schoolers from his section disappear to?

Undeterred, Peter scarfs down his hot lunch as quickly as humanly possible before wringing his hands over whether he should approach Dr. Banner or not. He's got about a million thoughts racing through his mind and Dr. Banner's eating lunch alone in the corner but he can't stop thinking about how uncool it would be for him to bother a literal Nobel Prize-winning scientist whose research on gamma radiation has only unlocked the most major scientific discoveries of all time-

Somehow, Peter's legs operate even while he's deep inside his own head and before long he finds himself cautiously approaching Dr. Banner's table. The scientist looks up before Peter can so much as utter a squeak, features softening once he realizes how young and nervous Peter looks.

"U-uh, h-hi Dr. Banner," Peter stammers hesitantly. The scientist smiles kindly at him. _No way, no way, one of his heroes is smiling at him, at nerdy ol' Peter Parker._ "Um, um, um, hi-hello, my name is Peter. Peter, Peter Parker."

Belatedly, he sticks his bony arm out for Dr. Banner to shake like he's seen real adults do all his life. Dr. Banner slaps his open palm lightly in a loose hi-five. Peter could die. He must be dead. There is no way Bruce Banner just gave him a casual friendly hand-slap shake thing.

"Hi Peter," Bruce greets, eyes twinkling. "I'm Bruce."

"Y-you are. Um, wow, Dr. Banner." Peter takes a deep breath. "_ThankyousomuchforslappingmyhandIcan'tbelieveI'mactuallymeetingyoudidyouknowthatyou'remyhero_-"

Dr. Banner chuckles. "Slow down there, Peter. Expo tip number one," he leans in conspiratorially. "Make sure you slow your thoughts down for all the old farts hanging around here."

Peter grins so hard he feels his face splitting. He _so_ can't wait to tell Ned.

"What are you presenting?" Dr. Banner continues, nodding at Peter's Presenter badge hanging around his neck.

"Oh," Peter blushes. He fiddles with his lanyard. "N-nothing much, just examining the properties of spider silk." He rushes through his sentence despite Dr. Banner's most recent advice. This isn't important right now, not when he has the attention of this century's most formidable scientist. "In your third paper on the effects of gamma radiation, I've always been curious about how you were able to obtain your data samples. I know you explained it in your methodology but the numbers are just off the charts! How did you manage to get that close to the radiation without exposing yourself to the side effects?"

Dr. Banner blinks at Peter's excited outburst, surprised. 

"You've read my paper on the effects of gamma radiation?"

Peter answers breezily. "I've read all your papers."

Bruce laughs, shaking his head. "I have to make a note to Tony about this."

Peter's eyes bug out of his head. 

"Tell you what, Peter, I have to go get ready for my presentation but I'll make sure to stop by before the Expo wraps up to answer all the questions you have on my work." Bruce starts gathering the remains of his lunch. "How's that sound?"

"I-I, I mean," Peter is in total and complete awe. "I-I know you're busy, sir. I just w-wanted to say that your work is amazing, and-and I really just wanna do what you do." He smiles up at Bruce, eyes impossibly young and bright. "When I'm older, I mean. Y-you're one of my heroes."

Bruce pauses to give him the sweetest smile he's seen an adult throw his way in a long time.

"You're already doing what I do, Peter."

The conversation sticks in Peter's head the whole way back to his booth. He can't stop beaming from head to toe for the life of him. Whoever said not to meet your childhood hero really should've picked a better hero. His mind races as he forms plans to up the ante of his booth that evening in case _the_ Dr. Bruce Banner actually does stop by. A small voice at the back of his head tells him not to get his hopes up, that Dr. Banner must've just been saying that to get rid of him, _why would he actually want to answer all the dumb questions of a dorky middle schooler?_ But Peter pushes it all away because now's not the time for moping and doubting. Now's the time for action! He's got to make his booth the best middle school booth at this fair, maybe even the best youth booth in the history of this fair. And he's already got a ton of ideas - maybe he could try to fit his web formula into something more impressive than a spray bottle. One of Ms. Karen's tiny perfume sample bottles might do. That way, it'd be even lighter and easier to manufacture. The most direct application would be to use the webbing as a coagulant to prevent people with more severe injuries from bleeding out. If he could find a way to simplify the process and logistics and make it all more affordable, he might actually be able to use it for some good...

All these thoughts die on the tip of his tongue as he approaches his booth and sees a slim shadowy figure drop some added chemicals into one of his 'in progress' test tubes. He reaches his skinny hand out uselessly to try and stop the action.

"Wait, no!"

It all just happens so quickly. Peter's shout ends abruptly as his booth explodes. He's knocked backward by the impact, hitting the ground hard. When he awakes, he hears the startled screams of people all around him, the thundering of feet. It's utter chaos and Peter can't see. His glasses must have gotten lost. Vision blurry, his head swims as the world becomes a blinding, dizzying cacophony. One of his ear plugs is missing too. There's too much input from everywhere, Peter can't see, he can't breathe-

A warm, strong arm wraps around his bicep and pulls him to his feet. He feels a thick wetness drip down the back of his head. He really should've thought to keep some of his web formula on him, he registers ironically. 

"Get up, Peter. We gotta move."

The voice is urgent, husky, a female's. But all Peter can see is a blob beside him.

"I can't see!"

The blob comes closer and Peter can just about make out a messy mop of brown curls tied up in a ponytail. Mystery lady is at least a foot taller than he is.

"I know, we'll figure that out as we go. Just follow me."

The protest halts in Peter's mouth before he can voice it. It's not like he really has a choice. He'd rather not get lost in the stampede and who knows where that shadowy figure went to anyway-

"The person!" Peter suddenly remembers. "Somebody messed with my web formula!"

"Yes, that's why everything exploded," mystery lady says with an undercurrent of sarcasm. She leads him through the mess, movements quick and sure. He wonders how she can see and think so clearly amidst such mayhem. 

They duck and weave through what he thinks are back alleys that weren't even on the Expo map. She's tense and silent the whole time, head turning this way and that. Peter's starting to fear that he's trusted the wrong person. She's clearly been here before. Is she SI staff? Why would she come for Peter? It's not like they've picked up anyone else along the way. Come to think of it, how had she even known his name?

The moment they reach a quieter area where Peter can no longer feel the urgent press of bodies against his, he tugs his shoulder away and rounds on her.

"Okay, mystery lady, enough pushing around. Who are you?"

"Ugh," she crosses her arms on her chest, mouth spluttering in a way that Peter didn't expect. "I should've known you'd be so goddamn nosy."

He bites back the shock at her use of a bad word, then squints to try and make her out better. Did he know her? Why is she speaking like he knows her?

"Stop with the squinting already." He can practically hear her eyes rolling from here. A pause as she roots around in her backpack, then he's thrown once again into blinding disarray when she shoves a pair of glasses on his face.

"Wait, wha-"

"Those are custom, so don't break em," mystery lady huffs. Before he can even react, she's continued barreling on. "Here's what's gonna happen now, Pete. You're gonna stick by my side at all times, okay? Now that dumb Cloak Dude has gone and plunged everybody into a panic, I'm gonna need a change of plans. So we are gonna have to regroup." She stops for breath briefly, just to glance over at him. "Jeez, you weren't kidding when you said you were shrimpy once upon a time. You're practically drowning in your shirt, squirt."

Peter doesn't know what to think. He stays quiet for so long that she's just about to hurry him up when she hears a soft, "W-who _are_ you?"

Now, she takes a proper look at him. She notices the blood, the way he holds himself so unsurely, and can almost hit herself for forgetting that this Peter's only 10. And that he's just had the best day of his 10-year-old life ruined for a reason he can't even begin to imagine. He's scared, and of course he would be. Why shouldn't he be?

She speaks more gently now, holding her arms out placatingly so as not to freak him out further.

"My name is Morgan, and I'm from the future."

It takes a second to process what she just said, but suddenly it's like Peter's spring has been rewound because he whips his head from side to side, then fixes her with an incredulous stare. Morgan startles from the intensity of his gaze, but doesn't back down.

"You mean to tell me that time travel is possible?" He shouts, voice filled with disbelief. "And that you've done it?"

"Uh, yeah." Morgan nods.

"No, no, no way." Peter starts pacing. "I don't believe you."

Morgan sighs. _And we're back to this._

"That's not something that concerns me, Peter. Keep up," she says briskly, already striding off.

He follows, barely keeping up, glasses perched precariously on his face. "Y-you-you're crazy, mystery lady-"

"Morgan."

"If you're from the future, why would you come back? What's so special about today? Do you work at Stark Industries? Is that the technology Mr. Stark is meant to be presenting tomorrow? I, I mean, this is clearly a demonstration of some sort, right?" He laughs nervously. "I don't even think time travel could be solved in the next century, let alone the next decade-how old are you anyway? What year are you from? And you know, you still haven't answered the question of who you are. How do you know me? _Holy meatball stick_, do you know me from the _future_?"

They've reached a ledge that Peter barely even notices until Morgan suddenly spins around and he's forced to stop so he doesn't bump right into her. She puts her hands on her waist and he takes a second to really look at her. She's got brown hair and brown eyes, she looks to be about 15, a lean figure with an air of coolness Peter would be lying if he claims not to associate with an imaginary older sister vibe he used to daydream about all the time. Especially right now, when she's just looking down at him, unimpressed.

"Done with your yammering?"

Peter blushes immediately but fights it hard. She has no right to act like he shouldn't be uncertain! What she's saying is absolute crazy talk! If Peter were any other normal boy, he wouldn't even be demanding answers, he'd have run far away from her by now!

He opens his mouth to say as much, but before he can even get a word out, Morgan simply takes a step back and- just falls right off the ledge.

Peter gives a shout and scrambles to the edge. He peers over, desperately scanning for her figure. When had they walked onto a roof of some sort? Why hadn't he noticed? Where did she go? There's nothing there for at least 15 feet!

Then he hears, "Behind you!", and turns around. He's unable to stop a gasp from escaping now. Because she's flying in a gosh darn actual floating copter! 

She navigates down to his level and this time, he doesn't wait a second to climb in. "Wh-what, what is this?" Morgan smirks at how amazed he sounds.

"Just hold on tight, Peter," she says as she flips some switches to turn her copter invisible once more, then flies at hyper speed into the sky.

Down below, the chaos of the Stark Expo becomes a small speck as the air blurs, shifting and shifting into what will eventually become the year 2031.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i knowwww i've already got another work going but ever since I rewatched "Meet the Robinsons" (truly an underrated Disney movie, imho) i've just always wondered why this AU of Peter Parker doesn't exist!! so now it does!!!


End file.
